


Simple Escapes

by ByTheAngell (SomeLittleInfamy)



Series: Tumblr Prompts [1]
Category: Shadowhunters (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-05-13 09:21:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 873
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14746127
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SomeLittleInfamy/pseuds/ByTheAngell
Summary: Magnus turns to some old musical favorites of his past to distract him from his current situation, but maybe all hope for his present (and future) isn't lost quite yet.





	Simple Escapes

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr Prompt: What was Magnus's favorite era of music? (Takes placed after 3x10. I wrote a shorter book-based version on tumblr but this show!version wouldn't get out of my head so I wrote it, too xD)

This is the third day in a row that Magnus hasn’t left the Loft. Alec is still recovering from his injuries but he’s already back at the Institute dealing with the aftermath of Lilith, helping to process through the fallout of Jace being The Owl and the mundanes Lilith possessed and… well, the list goes on rather indefinitely right now. And Magnus is secretly glad his boyfriend is so distracted because it means that he’s allowed to wallow alone for most of the daylight hours. He ignores phone calls from Catarina and the knocks of anyone who comes to the door. It was Simon once, and Jace another time, but he doesn’t have the energy to deal with any of that just yet. He can’t face them knowing how useless he is now in everything they’re dealing with. 

Four glasses of whiskey in and Magnus realizes that, along with his magic and immortality, he also lost his alcohol tolerance. The edges of the room begin to soften along with the dull ache he feels  _ everywhere _ . Not gone, but lesser, and it’s better than nothing. But the silence is getting to him - as it often does when he drinks alone - and he brings a hand up to wave lazily in the direction of the record player --- before remembering that he can’t. That he doesn’t…

Magnus stands abruptly and walks himself to the side of the room. He blinks to will his vision straight again before sifting through several cardboard record covers until the right one jumps out at him. He pulls out the black vinyl and places it down carefully, adjusting the needle. He takes a step back as it starts up. The notes of horns rise to fill the quiet space that surrounds him. It fills the room and it fills the spaces in his head where darker thoughts are threatening to creep back in. There’s no room for them now. 

Jazz. Swing. He doesn’t know what draws him to this particular genre in moments like this. Perhaps it’s the uptempo melodies that are difficult to properly lament during. Or perhaps it’s the fact that they remind him of simpler times. The amusement of running speakeasies, of using his magic to confuse the mundane cops that continually attempted to catch him in the act. Of the times immediately following when everyone was learning to let loose again without the fear (but also without the thrill) of doing something illegal. It was a time of music, of dancing, of drinking and celebrating the end of every day simply for existing. 

Simply. Simple. It was all so much simpler back then when his life was all about living in the moment and having fun and hardly having a single real responsibility to speak of. Which, he reasoned, was almost the case now. Things should be simple, right? No longer the High warlock of Brooklyn. No longer a warlock at all, strictly speaking. No magic. No responsibilities. Life could become so simple for him now if he allowed it to… if he could bring himself to want it. 

So then why does everything feel more difficult than it ever had before, in all his centuries of existence? 

“Magnus?” He didn’t hear the key turn in the lock over the sound of the music. He didn’t feel the small but steady stream of tears born out of his frustrated thoughts until he was blinking them away before turning to face Alexander in the doorway. He sees the concern in the look Alec shifts from him to the half-empty bottle of whiskey on the table and the back to him, a frown tugging down at the corners of the Shadowhunter’s mouth. 

Magnus’ voice sounds as empty as he feels when he finally speaks and he hates himself for not being able to hide it better for Alec’s sake. “It’s barely noon, what are you doing back so early?”  

“Even Shadowhunters have to eat lunch sometime. I thought I’d come by and see how you’re doing. Magnus, is-” Alec starts to say something but Magnus cuts him off. He doesn’t want to talk about it - he can’t. Not yet. He isn’t ready. He’s starting to suspect he never will be, but that is something he could think about another time. Right now he wants to escape into a simpler time, a simpler place… a simpler life. Just for a moment. 

“Dance with me.” He says before Alec can finish that thought, before he can say any number of things that might break him entirely. 

“What?”

“Dance with me,” Magnus repeats. “Please.” His voice is no longer empty but desperate, and Magnus isn’t sure which he dislikes more. Alec only hesitates a second before walking towards him. 

They meet halfway across the living room. As Alec puts his arms around him it’s all he can do to stop himself from collapsing entirely against his chest, instead swaying slowly in his arms, a soft kiss against his forehead telling him that Alec understands everything he can’t bring himself to say. Telling him that it’s alright; this is alright.  _ They’re alright. _

Telling him that maybe he can hope that life, and love, and everything in between, might be this simple after all. 

**Author's Note:**

> (Find me on [Tumblr](http://bytheangell.tumblr.com))


End file.
